Death Valley National Park

The aptly named Death Valley National Park encompasses a large section of the Mojave Desert, making it one of America's most unique -- and least lush -- national parks. But don't let the sand dunes, canyons and badlands fool you. There's an abundance of animal and plant life that have managed to adapt to the harsh conditions, including bighorn sheep and coyotes. Its open-air concept means that visitors can explore large sections in their personal car -- providing their car can handle the rough environment. The visiting season is limited, however, to October and May, because extreme summer temperatures make traveling through the park dangerous during the summer months.